The six years since James Pattinson last bowled againstEngland have been a soul-crushing treadmill of injuries, rehab and dashedexpectations but the patched-up paceman is again daring to dream on the vergeof the Ashes. In a career of cross-roads, the 29-year-old feared he had reacheda dead-end some 20 months ago, when he suffered a fourth back stress fracturethat ruled him out of the 2017/18 series on home soil.

As Steve Smith`s Australia celebrated a 4-0 demolition ofJoe Root`s England, 17-test Pattinson was laid up after a surgical procedurethat helped extend the career of New Zealand`s injury-prone Shane Bond.

Pattinson knows well not to take anything for granted butafter three productive months with English county side Nottinghamshire, theMelbourne man may be on the verge of a remarkable comeback that many would havehoped for but few would have believed.